Riverdale police chief rescues child from drowning while on Florida vacation
Chief Charles Quant was on a beach in Holmes Beach, Florida, when the incident occurred.
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A vacationing Riverdale police chief found himself answering the call of duty hundreds of miles from home when he rescued an 11-year-old girl from drowning at a Florida beach.
Police Chief Charles Quant was on vacation in Holmes Beach, Florida, on July 25 when he saw a young girl drowning. Noticing that the girl was unresponsive, the chief immediately put his years of training as a first responder to work.
“Without hesitation, he jumped into action, assisted in pulling the young girl safely to shore, and immediately began administering CPR,” Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer wrote in a letter of appreciation to Riverdale Mayor Paul Carelli.
Tokajer said that, thanks to Quant’s swift actions and training, the girl was able to cough up water and begin breathing on her own before emergency medical crews arrived.
“His readiness to respond to a crisis, even when off duty and far from home, speaks volumes about his character, dedication and professionalism,” Tokajer said of the Riverdale chief, commending him for his “bravery and life-saving heroism.”
The Riverdale mayor shared the letter on the borough’s Facebook page.
“It says all you need to know about the professionalism, leadership and character of our own Riverdale Police Chief Charles ‘Chuck’ Quant Jr.,” the mayor said. “Great job, Chief!”
